Begin Anew - Nadia's Restart in Another Time
by Mahami
Summary: An interesting form of events occurrence the day I got Skyrim. Instead of playing the game, I made the beginnings of this character, Nadia, and what I thought her journey would be like through Skyrim. This would be me playing the game, as I wrote her story. Sadly, that never happened, till I needed to reinstall. So, now the time has come for me to tell this hapless woman's tale!
1. The Beginning of the End - Restart

**Alright, so I'll only do this for something that's major; you know, something that I MAJORLY DON'T OWN! Skyrim and the Elder Scrolls Series is all properties of Bethesda. I DO NOT claim that I own this game or it's intellectual properties. I can only claim my character and the idea that I have for where this story is going. I'm planning on introducing some more people over time. So, I will be giving credit to those people of who those characters belong to. Alright, this is the only time I'll put this disclaimer about Bethesda, if you haven't read it, that's on you. Continue on now, dear reader.**

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 **Chapter 1**

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The world seemed to be razing to the ground.

Screams that found her ears had long since dwindled down to the cracklings of fire that now ensnare themselves on her pointed ears.

Alduin returned to their world before she had the chance to gather the heroes she needed to defeat this fearsome beast.

What was once a glorious open field was no more. As the center of Skyrim burned behind her the Companions that had stood so long were now nothing more than hints of ash that made the air; as she choked on thoughts of what were to come next; as she stared the encroaching beast down: Death.

'This is the end...I failed', the Dragonborn thought, as her ears slightly drooped at the thought of dying in a land that she couldn't truly call home.

Her body was pushed to it's limits as she bled out staring at death that was descending upon her in what seemed to be slow motion. It was taunting her.

If only she can do something; train to be better or reverse time...

'Time...Perhaps, maybe...It's a gamble, but it's better than to face my death trying at the very least.'

Her eyes steeled as she mentally prepared herself for what she was about to do.

Struggling to face what would be her demise, she looked about herself.

Skyrim was lost unless she succeeded in this final spell. Even if it was against, not only her code as a Lunari, but a personal code of ethics.

However, desperate times call for desperate measures.

She beheld a flying Alduin as she started to glow. Letting out a small sigh, she closed her eyes and prayed, willing her body to stand tall despite her open wounds and decides the fate of the world once again.

'I am a scholar. I will perform one last test and will do what I can to save Skyrim.'

Alduin's eyes seemed to glow an angry red as he realized what the Dragonborn mage was conjuring. Never again will he be casted through time to wait for another chance to destroy all of Nirn. He opened his maw and prepared to let loose his own Thu'um.

" _ **Yol** **...**_ "

Unsure of whether it would work or not she had to try. She begins her own powerful Thu'um, mixed in with her magic, staff in hand.

"As time flows on... **Tiid...** ", she draws strength from her inner most being.

Alduin nosedives towards the DragonBorn practically willing himself to close the distance between him and her, so she's within the length of his Thu'um. Mouth glowing with the the red licks of his power; he feels that it's almost time for Dragonborn to face her destiny.

" _ **Toor** **...**_ "

"I beckon for it to start anew... **Ro...** " her body glows all the more fervently now as she opens her eyes, staring down death incarnate.

Having a sense of elation in his chest, he knows that the Dragonborn will be no more as he deems himself to be in appropriate distance of his prey; as the final word unleashes his wrath upon her.

" _ **Shul** **!**_ "

"For I give my life in order to begin again! **UL!** ", she speaks these final words as the flames of the mighty World Eater's breath begins to ensnare her.

As time stilled she smiles. Knowing that the spell has been casted in time, her body seemed to thread away with her last bit of power. Feeling a sense of lightness, not knowing if Alduin's flames were the cause or the incantation being complete, perhaps even her finally passing out from her battle-wound, she smiles all the more triumphantly as she slips into her last thoughts.

'Skyrim will be safe... at least for a time.'

The last of her existence slipped into blue vapors; into what she thought to be her rest...

Of course, fate always has something else planned.

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 **I hope that you enjoyed this story, dear reader. Any reviews that can help me continue and make this story better is welcomed. Any hate or discouraging comments will be deleted.**


	2. Introducing - Nadia Jenkins

**Chapter 2**

* * *

 **Winter of 2015, New's Year Eve**

* * *

A woman that wasn't made for the cold stood in the midst of a miniature blizzard. Or maybe, this is how the weather typically is in the city that was known for it's windy nature and arctic winds of Siberia.

An eruption of chills shake at her core as she wishes for the hotter climate of the South. Gone are the days where she could simply lie back on the grass as her chocolate skin soaked up the rays of the Georgia sun, senses alive with the sweetness that the air was filled with.

Nadia Jenkins was a lady of the South, but a woman will little patience for the Northern precipitation. How she loathes now her wish to move to a place that has snow just so she could experience the mystical wonderland of it with her own eyes.

She shivered as she tried for the umpteenth time to warm up in the frigid winter air.

Never had she felt to be a bigger fool than she does now for wanting to come here. Especially now that the novelty of snow wore off after about a week of living in the industrious city.

"Damn, I hate the cold. Why did I move here again?", Nadia complained to herself as she briskly rubbed her arms, shuffling from one foot to the other, waiting for the bus.

"Oh right. Because I'm an idiot that wanted to experience the city life and all it's labors of love just without the love and all of the labor, overtime and Miss Bitchington at the top of it all.", she grumbled to no one in particular because that's right: She's an idiot. Coming out with no other human being in sight; more than likely because they knew going out in this weather was bonkers.

'Never again am I going out on a food run for those ingrateful assholes. I don't even know how I get myself into these things', Nadia chastised herself.

Looking up she tries to distract herself from going down a negative path.

'I wonder how my life ended up on such a path to begin with.', she thinks deeply with her eyes closed, bringing her head down and opening them in time to see the bus ninja itself pass her by.

"H-hey! Wait!", she tried flagging the bus down as she pitifully tried to run after the bus in the heavy snow and slush, but to no avail. Another bus that wasn't "In Service" as it would seem. Or rather didn't want to stop because they were behind on their routes.

Nadia groaned out loud, coming to terms that the driver wouldn't stop.

"Could this day GET any worse?", she groaned.

As if sensing a challenge, a passing car sped by her, drenching her with all the all the grime of the snow, ruining her outfit and the food that she was sent out to get for the office party.

Counting to twenty, since ten wasn't going to cut it, she does her damnest not to throw a screaming tantrum openly in public even if the public themselves were rather absent.

'Don't have a mental breakdown. If you have one you'll just end up in the cuckoo bin. Although, it's certainly looking a **HELLUVA** lot **BETTER** than being out here in this frozen **HELLHOLE**!', she fumed to herself, willing her cold body to move towards the direction of her workplace.

* * *

 **I hope that you enjoyed this story, dear reader. Any reviews that can help me continue and make this story better is welcomed. Any hate or discouraging comments will be deleted.**


	3. Welcome to my Life

As much as she tried to avoid it, her thoughts just turned back to her own self flagellation from earlier.

You see, Nadia had always been perceived as the gopher and never the one in charge.

People always walked over her; from childhood into adulthood, people thought she was weak.

Forever being made fun of because of her shy disposition or weight, she was everyone's foot stool.

While her parents had the best of intentions, what they thought would help her only did so much. They thought in order to fit in all she needed was self confidence.

They consulted with books, professional circles, social circles, and even tried putting her in defense classes. They thought with some happiness of a learned skill she could be a social butterfly. Sadly, that only went so far.

It did yield some fruit just not the ones they had hoped.

Nadia was able to defend herself from the scraps she got in with the kid bullies, but that only turned against her when they went crying and got HER in trouble for defending herself.

After getting a taste of their own medicine for once, Nadia thought her days of being pushed around were over. Of course, that only lasted for so long. High school was another beast ENTIRELY!

Gone were the days that she could beat a bully with her fist. Now came the days she had to deal with the pain of words.

Picked on for her weight, girls didn't like the fact that she was not only heavy set body wise, but also chest wise. Since, of course, her bosom HAD to be fake since they were so huge.

Nadia felt helpless to stop their bullying.

It's easy to stop it when you're a kid since all you have to do is just punch a kid once in the face and they'll go away crying. No one will mess with you.

However, when you're older, that type of thing would get you in more trouble than it's worth.

Even her parents weren't much help since she couldn't fight back with my hand to hand since she got in trouble with a bully's mother. All they would say is:

"You just need to get tougher skin. Not everyone is going to like you."

Seemingly, upon losing herself in her thoughts, Nadia sighed to herself as she saw the building about a block away.

"Not everyone is going to like you, sure, but you also said to treat everyone with compassion and respect, mom", she grumbled under her breath.

From then on, she just got tired of being shy; tired of being teased and bullied; tired of her hating her own body. So, once she was able to start working she saved up money for all that she needed to get a better life:

College, a place of her own, and breast reduction.

In college, she would revamp her disposition and be a bit more outgoing since it was a clean start.

In her own place, she'd have her own safe haven without dealing with her parents caving in to the outside world.

Finally, with less chest, she would stop getting comments and whispers at her back saying that she was more than likely a stripper or her tits were fake because, OBVIOUSLY, a dark skinned woman could only be that and not an accountant. That would be against the rules.

Nadia's blood began to boil as she neared the door to the small building; another location that was downsized from the main branch.

Even after a botched surgery and her breast looking all the more fake she still got the comments from her egotistical, bitchy, self absorbed -

"You're late, Nidia.", Alduna glared, her boss, as she waited at the top of the stairs, poised as venomous harpy that she was. Dressed in a Louis Vutton business outfit Alduna stands with her talons at her hips; blonde hair bouncing in her top bun as she tapped her foot impatiently.

Ducking her head to keep her from seeing her eye roll at mispronouncing her name, AGAIN, she replied back at her:

"They were out of what was needed for the party, so, I had to go elsewhere for it and then the bus-"

"Save your excuses. It's typical of you to just laze about and complain. I honestly don't know why we keep you around here", she huffed.

'Probably because I'M the one that does all the work while the other accountants goof off in your absence. Then they dump THEIR work on me to finish as they go to an almost two hour lunch break', she bit back the thought as she could only reply back with a sorry.

Alduna scoffed, checking her phone and then looking back at her.

"For being an hour behind, I'm docking your pay. Expect a lot less this year since I had to go get some food when I'm SUPPOSED to be entertaining potential clients", Alduna gave a slit-eyed look toward Nadia, turning on heel and leaving a soggy, silently fuming Nadia at the entrance of the building.

"I wonder how many years would I get for manslaughter on that conniving-", Nadia had her thoughts interrupted by her irate boss.

"NIDIA! HURRY IT UP AND STOP DROPPING THAT SLUDGE ON THE FLOOR!", yelled a completely unprofessional Alduna.

She grumbled as she sloshed her way up the stairs.

"Hell. I'm in hell. Just kill me now", grimaced Nadia as she made here way up the stairs and toward the broom closet of an office, which wasn't much of a stretch.

She tossed her soggy outwear coat on the seat that was barely a step away from the door and turned about to look at the blistery mess outside. Or at least what little she could see outside since an obnoxious sign with graffiti blocked her view. She heard the curses of those down below and the blaring of the cars.

Moving from the suburbia to this icy hell city, Nadia only gained one thing from living here: the hatred of her fellow man. It lacked the compassion of the college scene she was used to a few years back and just ran on pure greed and selfishness. There were no friends here just people with fake smiles and knives at the ready to a well placed back stab.

"Knock, knock", came a friendly voice at her open door.

'Well, maybe not everyone', smiled a relieved Nadia as she turned to look at the source of the voice.

Amelia, a brown skinned woman, and the janitor of this location is about 30 years old or so. She won't admit it, but she complains that her body sags in places that she didn't think possible until a few years ago.

"The harpy on your case again?", smiled an empathic Amelia as she placed the mop and bucket in the corner of the closet and sits in the chair at her impromptu desk made up of shoddily made wood and paint.

"All the damn time, Am. I swear, her only goal in life is just to crap all over mine", Nadia exasperated.

"No joke. Then again, she could be feeling her oats since she's not under anyone here", Am chuckles to herself.

Shooting Am a sly smile, she replies back:

"In which sense?"

Amelia looks at her, slightly confused for a moment, then her face brightens when it clicks as to what she means.

"Hell, child. I'm pretty sure in both senses of the word! Then again, I don't know HOW anyone would want to get under, over, OR next to her for that matter,with as much skank as she expresses in attitude", she expresses with a knee slap; mannerisms and slang she picked from Nadia herself as she then double overs in laughter just at the mere thought of her with anyone one.

As if sensing when someone's having the SLIGHTEST bit of fun, or maybe it being honed in only for Nadia, Alduna's sharp clacking of her heels made a beeline for her office.

"NIDIA!"

Without even the chance to reply she was already at her office door.

'If this were a cartoon, I swear, she would have steam coming from her ears right about now', thought the internally perturbed accountant.

Alduna's eyes squinted fiercely at the black woman then shifted to the older brown woman that was sitting in the chair.

"YOU! Don't YOU have some floors to do? Get out of here and stop harassing my employees with your gossip, samaj gay?!", she pointed an accusing finger at Amelia, not hearing Amelia's response.

"I'm Hispanic, you racist bimbo", grumbled the older woman.

Without so much as waiting for her to move yet, she turned her gaze back onto Nadia once more.

"AND YOU! Where's the extra-" she cut her sentence short as she spied the source of her rant.

Hastily grabbing the soaked bag from her desk, she continued with the berating parade.

"EW! IT'S WET! Why can't you do a simple errand RIGHT?! Are you TRYING to sabotage this deal? I don't care that this job means so little to you, but you WILL not embarrass me tonight! Leave the office at once! I don't want to see your face for the rest of the day until the time of the party and I EXPECT you to make yourself useful then, you graceless cow! UGH!"

Flying out of the room with the food in hesitant hands, she throws another despairing comment toward Nadia.

"If this suit gets just an OUNCE of this wretched fluid on me you're paying for the dry cleaning!" , as she talked poorly all the more as her heels clicked away.

'I hate my life', thought the young woman, as she collapses into her chair and the custodian gives an understanding pat on her back.


	4. Downward Spiral

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Steam came off her body as she looked toward the mirror. She sighed and ran her hand over the clouded object. Even with the rejuvenating shower, her eyes appeared to look aged beyond its years, looking as though it's just about had it with all that they've had to put up with in this life.

'It's aggravating, sure. Although, I only have to put up with it for just a bit more and maybe I could start over again', she thought as she softly patted her face of water.

Sighing openly, she puts the towel down as she patted out of the bathroom then reached for her closet. Scanning for something for the party, she tries her best to avert her gaze from the overtly skimpy party dress that Amelia gave her. Eventually, she closed her eyes as she pinched the sellion of her nose.

'I don't even know why I agreed to take this stupid thing', Nadia thought, placing a tentative hand on the garment, bringing to her body then looking it over. She pulled at the material of the dress. It was stretchy, sure, but it was lace nonetheless. Such a thing would still rip if she moved the wrong way. Amelia's heart was in the right place, but sometimes, she wondered about her.

'Muchacha, you need a bit of lovin' in your life. Next time you go partying it up, bust up this little number!', Amelia's words resonated in her mind.

"I'm pretty sure this is going to bite me in the ass, somewhere down the line. What the hell? Why not?", she shrugged as she continued getting dressed, then hesitantly putting on the outfit and continuing with her beauty regiment.

* * *

It was five minutes till 11 when she arrived on the scene; air puffing from her mouth. Nadia briskly made her way to the doors of her workplace as she heard jubilant conversations going on before even entering the building.

She shook as the chill got to her core, making her way up the stairs. Hired attendants before the case of the stairs stopped her briefly, asking for her name and coat, if she were indeed a worker or guest to be received for the party. After confirming that she was on the list, she handed her coat off to them, making their eyes bugged out of their heads.

Not waiting for them to snap out of their shock, she quickly clicked up the stairs as she heard them give some cheers while distancing herself from them.

Nadia smiled to herself bashfully as she took their reaction as a bit of a confidence booster which she needed to get through this night.

Rounding the corner, with her heels clicking across the marble tile, she took a deep breath and opened the glass doors leading to where the party was being held.

* * *

Nadia's breaths came out in shakes as she fumbled with her keys, offset by her choked sobs. When she finally stumbled into her little apartment flat, she was blinded by her tears and encumbered by her drinking . Her mind replayed the scene; the words continue to ring in her head.

* * *

The night was going pleasantly enough, Nadia was slightly buzzed, as she conversed with some coworkers, which quickly became a crowd. All was well until Alduna caught sight of Nadia, surrounded by a group of coworkers and potential clients as they questioned her and marveled at her responses.

They hung on her every word as she explained the processes of the company and the hope of the future for the company. They thought she was best thing to happen to the small branch with all that she knew and wondered, 'Why isn't she charge of the outfit?'

Having heard enough, Alduna's wrath was venomous as she disliked anyone taking her thunder, especially for a lowly woman of class such as Nadia.

"Because she's a bit of a rescue case, my dear."

All eyes turned toward Alduna in wonderment of her words.

"She's someone that my father wanted to help out and give a second chance to what with being a former prostitute and all."

There was a small collection of gasps as some people moved away from Nadia like she was diseased, others visibly shocked, not knowing how to react.

Nadia's face heated up from Alduna's blatant lies. Hands shaking, she wanted nothing more than to hit this treacherous pit viper.

Her assault continued:

"Of course, I told my father that it wouldn't be the best of ideas since she could very well just steal anything or just put off her work or worse: Continue doing what she did best on the street and just stopping work production indefinitely."

Nadia saw red as her own words came out like a torrent, refusing to stop.

"As the one who slept with half of the main branch! Everyone knew that the entire reason why you're only here is because your father was tired of picking up the pieces that you wrecked. Your own misdeeds was going to lead the company to financial crisis that he had to make you learn responsibility! That's why he placed you here!"

Eyes bugged out, many of the onlookers exchanged gazes between themselves and the two women.

Alduna's eyes glowered as she unblinkingly made her way to Nadia and slapped her across the face, seething like a dragon. Wanting nothing more than to stop the truth from being known, she was restrained by the party goers as she shouted her threats to her.

"I won't stand by with your words of slander, you whore! Once a whore, always a whore! Can't even come to a BUSINESS party dressed appropriately! Get out of this building! The next I see you will be in court! You'll never work here or in this city again! JUST THE STREETS!"

Her words doused on her like ice-water as she bit back tears and stormed out of the office and, inevitably, the party, and leaving her coat in a rush of it all.

* * *

Sobs racked her body as she finally collapsed on the couch beaten by the hell that was today.

Nadia was tired of it.

She couldn't stand being everyone's rug anymore.

"God, why couldn't things be different? Why can't I be in charge of something in my life for once? All I want is some respect is that too much to ask?", she exclaimed, tears staining her face as she curled up into a ball.

Wanting this year to simply end and pray for another day, perhaps another life, Nadia drowned out the joyous ambient as she sank further into her emotions.

Festivities and excitement was heard all over the building while Nadia slipped in and out of consciousness. She heard muffled voices of the count down to New Year's and then she faded into her dreams as the voices cheered then seemingly drifted away.

* * *

 **I hope that you enjoyed this story, dear reader. Any reviews that can help me continue and make this story better is welcomed. Any hate or discouraging comments will be deleted.**


	5. What was that? Oh, just a dragon

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Nadia started violently shivering as the cold air hit her frame and she woke up from her daze.

"I didn't leave my window open," she stated as one of her hands rubbed her left eye, is when she felt it and realized:

She was outside. Confused, she creaked both of them open and looked about her. Nadia was in a forest of some kind in what would seem like a bad horror movie. The ground was frosted over from the cold temperature of winter. Nadia's breath came out in puffs as she tried to steady herself, wrestling to sort her thoughts while trying to battle her hangover and regain her sense of balance.

She was trying to keep a calm disposition, but she started to slowly reach a hyperventilative state as her breaths came in quick bursts.

"W-where - H-how - ", her thoughts were cut short as she heard shouts and sounds of fighting.

Still not having her wits about her, she went to a bush in the direction of where the sounds were coming from. Having some sense, at the very least, she keeps herself hidden in the bushes in hopes to see what her surroundings could tell her of this location and maybe find a way back home or to the nearest police station. What she's greeted with, however, doesn't soothe her fretted mind. Before her, she sees people donning a medieval like garb; men and women are having skirmishes with one another. People let out death cries as their blood stains the snow frosted ground, including the swords of their enemies.

Nadia's stomach flips at this, but she closes her eyes and tries to take deep breaths and calm herself.

"It's ok. It's...just people in an out of place renaissance fair... one that is REALLY good with props and knowing how to make blood look AND smell authentic. That or I'm dreaming; one of the two", Nadia chants as the sounds of the fighting continue about her, only to intensify as if to disprove her theory.

"Give up, Ulfric! We've got you surrounded!", yells a man at which Nadia opens her eyes to see who's stating these words.

The man dons, roughly, a knee length uniform with red fabric and metal adorning his torso. He looks to be in his 50's or so; his graying hair signifying so.

Nadia looks to see who his directive is casted to.

Among the midst of company of soldiers decked in blue, she sees a man sneering at the older man. The one, she assumes, is named Ulfric, has a sword in hand even though it's tilted to defect a blow if needed. His arm is tense and his eyes scanning as if looking for an out. Nadia sees another soldier whisper something to him as Ulfric's eyes tighten all the more, and then he does the unthinkable:

He tosses his sword down and relaxes his matter, completely complying to the older man's orders, much to Nadia's and his troops disbelief. The man that whispered to him exclaims in disbelief:

"U-ulfric?! What are you-"

"We are routed, don't you see? This battle is lost. I would rather not see anymore brothers fall in battle to these Imperial swine." He turns his head from his companion to the man in red.

"We surrender. Take me, but pardon my soldiers, Tullius", his voice boomed as he stood tall, unflinching at the encroaching numbers while they stood close along his ranks.

Nadia's mouth is agape. If this WAS a performance, the man knew how to act. Never has she seen this moving of a scene, save for the plays her parents would take her to on occasion as a child. He made her heart go out to him and his men, asking for their lives to be spared at the cost of his own. Nadia's eyes began to tear up at his offer.

"You know we can't do that. You killed the High King; murdered him in cold blood and then start a rebellion against the Empire, all under the banner of so-called 'freedom'. The Empire wouldn't stand for it. So, you and your 'Stormcloaks' will have to pay the price", stated the man she learned to be Tullius, in a matter-of-factly manner.

Nadia bit her lip to keep from getting in the middle of it, abashed by the man's intolerance to show some compassion. The men and women in blue were about to rush Tullius, but Ulfric simply held up a hand for them to stand down and they did just that. The soldiers had that much respect of the man to toss away their own lives for whatever cause bound them together. It was truly awe-inspiring.

Nadia stood entranced by the spectacle in front of her as she then saw their leader get bound and gagged. The rest of them simply had their wrist tried as they threw obscenities in the direction of Tullius and the rest of opposition, but otherwise, were herded off down the slope to the road where it looked like carriages awaited them in the distance.

Transfixed as she was, she didn't know what was happening till she was dragged out roughly by the arm by one of the red soldiers.

"General Tullius, sir! I found one trying to get away!", he stated gruffily.

"Huh? Get away? What the hell are you talking about?!", Nadia stated in some confusion.

The general grunted in acknowledgment.

"Good work, soldier. Put her with the rest of them."

"Wait, what?! Rest of who?!",she stated, now getting angry as she yanked her wrist out of the grasp of the manhandling soldier.

"Stand still, you damned Stormcloak!", he stated indignantly, attempting to bind her again, this time, earning him a swift kick to the solar plexus.

"Restrain her!", was all she heard when she felt a sharp blow to the head. She, as the rest of the world, was drowned out and faded to black.

* * *

She woke up, this time, her vision slightly blurred with a throbbing headache; eyes slowly adjusting to the bright sunlight.

"Ugh. Just how much did I drink last night?", she stated quietly to herself.

Opening her eyes a bit more, Nadia becomes momentarily blinded by the sun. Reaching to block it out, she noticed that her hands were bound. Groggily, she turns her head taking in her environment. She felt the jostling of the carriage and heard the neighing of the horse as well as his feet connecting to the bumpy mush of a terrain. Carefully turning her head slantly, she sees the grayness of the clouded sky before her and the canvas of green framing it so. Straining to refocus her eyes, she looked about the carriage that was transporting her. She noticed she was with three men, two of which she recognized from the clutter of soldiers earlier.

"Hey, you're finally awake! You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush. Same as us and that thief over there", explained the man that she saw talking to Ulfric before his surrender.

"Damn you, Stormcloaks! Skyrim was fine until you came along! The Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfell by now", frowned a dirt caked man in shambles of an old medieval peasant clothes. The grime covered man looked in Nadia's direction.

"You there! I can tell from your strange garb that you got caught up in all this! What do you say? You and me. We shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."

The man in front of Nadia scoffed at the petty dealings of the lowly man.

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief."

Apparently, annoyed at the talk behind him, the horseman in charge of the carriage snapped at them.

"Shut up back there!"

Not concerning themselves with him, the conversation continued on.

Looking between Ulfric and the man in front of Nadia, the dirt caked man jerked his head toward Ulfric.

"What's wrong with him, huh?"

"Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King!", stated other blue vested man with dignity.

'High King? She gathered that Ulfric was a leader of some kind from the scene that she witnessed moments before, but a KING? Why was he out on the field with his men? Why take such a risk in getting caught if you were at war? Also, what's the difference between a regular King and a High King, exactly?' thought Nadia as she momentarily tuned out the surrounding conversation. Her focus was only brought back as the dirty man said panicking,

"No, this isn't happening! This can't be happening!"

A small silence fell around them, save for the sounds of the carriage rolling along side the man's pathetic whimpers. All until the calm man in front of her spoke up again.

"Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?"

"Why do you care?", asked the pathetic man.

"A Nord's last thoughts... should be of home", he finished calmly.

'Nord? Like from Norse mythology? If this truly was a play or reenactment, it seemed all too real. Also...', Nadia looked about.

'I'm getting the impression that it's more dangerous that it's being let on to be. All things considered, I'm NOT part of this play and they did more than roughhouse with me. So, that can only mean-'

Nadia's thoughts were broken by another horseman further up the chain of carriages. Even though they were further up, their voices carried far.

"General Tullius, Sir! The headsman is waiting!"

"Good. Let's get this over with."

The ragged man seemed all the more panicked as he entered what can she could only take as a form of prayer, riddling off foreign names that she couldn't decipher. As the carriage entered the village the first thing that caught her eye wasn't the hamlet little town itself, but the man that was on the opposition: Tullius. He sat on a horse talking to an odd looking person that wore armor different to the rest of the soldiers. Following her eyes, the man in front of her sneered and commented on the two.

"Look at him. General Tullius - The Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this."

Unable to bite back her curiosity any longer, she questioned the one in front of her, since the other two weren't the better choices, what with the gag in Ulfric's mouth and the other man's frantic praying.

"Elves? Thalmor? What's going on here? What is this place? How in God's name did I get here?"

The man stared at her with guarded eyes as he took in Nadia's appearance and questions.

"I don't know who you might be, but your in Skyrim, friend. Home of the Nords. As to where you might be right now, this is Helgen."

He lets out a short sigh as he looks to the side, lost in his recollections.

"I used to be sweet on a girl from here. I wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with Junpiter berries mixed in. Funny...when I was a boy, Imperial Walls and towers used to

make for feel so safe."

Nadia left the man to his quiet contemplations as she looked about this eerily quiet hamlet. People stood on their porches as they casted sneers and silent contempt toward the carriages. Others looked away, but Nadia caught a glimpse of what she thought to be sadness in their eyes. Perhaps, not all the people here shared the sentiments of their captors. Or maybe this was just a disruption of their daily lives...or maybe, just maybe...

Nadia turned her gaze back toward the man in front of her. The carriages corralled people that they knew and loved, who were being taken to be punished and couldn't stand to see them treated this way. It would seem that it ended up being a mixture of all three as the carriage came to a slow halt.

"Why are we stopping?", the frightened man stopped in his bargaining, his eyes bulged out of his head.

Seemingly tired of the man's tirade of questions or maybe just the situation in general, he answered back with trist.

"Why do you think? End of the line."

Nadia spied others hopping out of the carriages in front of her. At the same time, the resigned man stood up, looking at the horse thief.

"Let's go. Shouldn't keep the Gods waiting for us."

It was their turn to jump out.

"No! Wait! We're not rebels!", the horse thief exclaimed, still trying to negotiate with the unmoving opposition.

Nadia's eyes became frantic as Ulfric jumped out first, following the crowd of Stormcloak, then the shouting thief.

Nadia stopped at the top of the wagon and stared down, slightly frowning.

"You've got to be kidding me...", she whispered, as she looked for a way to get down without breaking her neck. After all, this was just a big misunderstanding. She wasn't a rebel; just a person that ended up in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Nadia tried bending down and reaching the ground, but all that she achieved was hopelessly flailing her leg in the air, looking like one of those drunk girls at clubs.

Apparently, she wasn't the only one thinking she looked foolish.

"What's the hold up?! Why are you taking so long to get out?!", snapped a sister girl from the opposition.

Bashfully, Nadia looked down, answering the woman.

"I can't get down."

She was a dragon, practically breathing out smoke as she clenched her teeth enunciating every word.

"Then. Jump. DOWN!"

Nadia, not wanting to take slack from anyone, snapped back at her.

"And have me break my neck?! No dice, sister girl!"

Growling, the older woman barked orders at someone behind her.

"Hadvar! Help this brainrotted fool down so we can proceed!", she stomped off back to her post as the man that she assumed to be Hadvar came forward.

He had a look of confusion on his face as he took in her appearance.

"Pretty strange garments for a Stormcloak...Spy or otherwise", he commented while helping her jump out.

"Yeah, I've been getting that a lot since getting here.", grumbled the brunette, whilst she scoots off from the sitting position she took up on the wagon and hopped off into his arms. Sadly, it would seem that he wasn't fully prepared for all of her weight to be shifted over to him. He awkwardly grabbed at her back as she went into full panic mode.

"Don't you dare drop me!", she screeched at him, both spiraling about as Hadvar tried to regain a sense of balance.

Ultimately, they ended up in a heap, with her straddling his waist and his hand on her butt. Hadvar groaning in pain as she assesses the situation. Despite it being a solemn predicament, several of the Stormcloaks, with a few poorly concealed snickers of the red shirted military, busted out in a guffaw at their antics.

Never one to pass up an opportunity to crack a perverse joke, Nadia quipped,

"Well, if you're as talented to holding up a big girl like me, I can't WAIT to see what you're like in the bedroom."

Hadvar blushed as he tried to think of something to say. She looked back at his hand.

"Although, I USUALLY like it when a guy wines and dines me first, before he decides to cop a feel."

After blushing all the more, he pushes himself up with his elbows, as he repositions his hands to her waist, grabbing her by the hips. He stands up and suggest she set her feet on the ground; doing just that, Hadvar uncomfortably hunched away.

The last man jumped off the wagon as both he and Nadia walked over to where the other people were crowded. Nadia's breath caught in her throat. She looked to her left side and saw what would be their "end of the line", as the man stated. 'They can't seriously think to...' She gulped as she saw the hooded man with the axe stand by a chopping block.

"Now that we're under better control after those -", she looks toward Nadia.

"- shenanigans. Step toward the block when we call your name. One at a time!"

"No thanks. I'm rather attached to my head", she mutters under her breath.

The solemn man, noting Nadia's comment, adds his own.

"Empire loves their damn list."

The man that helped her down stood next to the woman that Nadia now dubbed as "Sister Girl". He briefly locks eyes with Nadia, then just as quickly looks back down on his clipboard, softly clearing his throat as his Adam's apple goes up and down nervously. He opens his mouth to speak, but Nadia doesn't hear a word of it.

Nadia's mind raced a mile a minute. Panic renewing itself, Nadia's thoughts wonder back to what this 'Skyrim' place was, since these people with their war put an innocent bystander in the middle of it all. However, before her panicking mind could reach it's apex, a commotion brought her attention back to the happenings around her. When she focused back to what was happening, she saw the man dubbed as the horse thief running, hands bound, by the the looks of his gait, be struck down by two arrows from by two of the archers standing by. Sister Girl turned back, after confirming that the man was taken care, to the rest of the people behind her.

"Anyone else feels like running?", she threw the statement toward the crowd of warriors, looking to see if there was any defiance from the captives. Her eyes landed on Nadia and her eyes only tightened at the sight of her.

Shocked, Nadia started to shake. Not just from the cold, but at the reality of it all.

There was no escape. Even if she COULD somehow run, and it HEELS no less, she'd be just as much of a sitting duck with arrows trained at her back.

Her eyes scanned for a small glimmer of hope; an act of kindness in any of the people doing the executing. That's when her eyes locked again with the man, Hadvar, as he looked to be debating with something inside of his moral being. At least, that what she hoped it would be.

"Wait. You there, elf. Step forward."

Confused, Nadia furrowed her brow and looked about her.

'Elf? Who's he talking to?'

She examined the others and looked closely at their ears. They all looked rounded and not at all pointy like she sees the fictitious beings to be prominently known for. Getting all the more impatient, Sister Girl spoke up and pointedly looked at her.

"Quit wasting our time and get over here, elf."

With a gulp, Nadia stepped forward, tilting her head while quizzically touching one of her ears. Her eyebrows shot up as her mouth stood agape. Her face still displayed the shock as she stopped in front of the two people that called her forward. Face construed in a confused manner at the Elven woman's action, Hadvar tentatively posed the question of who she was. Not sure what to make of the revelation of her being an elf, she thought it best not to be sarcastic and just answered the question in all honesty.

"Umm...Nadia, sir..."

"I'm not really sure what group you belong to, elf", Hadvar looks again at the names on his list.

"No...This can't be right. Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list."

"Forget the list. She goes to the block", Captain Sister Girl said, wanting to be done with the matter entirely.

Hadvar's muscles in his jaw tightens momentarily with a look that she knows all too well; the look of wanting to defy, but contemplates the outcomes of what happens when you do. It's the look that Nadia gives and hides from Alduna, just as much as this man is concealing from his superior.

"By your orders, Captain. I'm sorry. We'll make sure to find someone of your kin to be notified of your remains", his eyes are gentle as he if he tries to pass off his apology for not trying harder, given the circumstances.

Upon hearing the word 'remains', Nadia loses it.

"Remains?! You can't be serious! I'm just a bystander in all of this!", she turns to the woman beside him, all the more frantic.

"He said himself that I'm not on that list! How can you just write someone off as being guilty, if you don't even know the full story?!", her voice raised, mixed with feelings of fear and anger.

"ENOUGH!" Captain Sister Girl growled, gruffly grabbing ahold Nadia's forearm. While she tried her best to find some ground to hold onto, but was fruitless. Nadia's feet simply left a trail of dirt and tracks.

After walking toward the group that made a small gathering before the execution block, the captain threw her forward roughly. Nadia stumbled forward, but kept her balance when she shot her a look. Sister Girl walked pass her to stand by Tullius. Nadia frightfully looked at her impending demise.

Tullius exchanged a few words that he stated earlier to Ulfric when they caught him and his men early in the day. Except he mentioned something about killing the king with the "Voice". Apparently, Ulfric was the one that started a rebellion of sorts and had plunged the land into a hectic state. Catching that it was a civil war didn't do much for Nadia, she decided, as she hoped and prayed that something would get her out of this mess.

"Please, let this just be a night terror. A frickin' scary ass one at that! Or just some prank that's been going on for far too long! Please, oh please, oh please!", Nadia frantically stated with her eyes practically glued shut, wringing her hands in prayer. Frantic thoughts were interrupted by a roar of some it was caught the attention of one the guards, questioning what it was.

The leaders of the outfit brushed it off. A priestess of some kind began reciting last rites to the condemned. Even if it would have been a great stall tactic to come out of a way to escape this mess, someone HAD to cut it short because they were so eager to die.

Eyes staring in disbelief, Nadia muttered under her breath:

"What is this dude, a masochist of some kind?!"

After cutting the woman off, he stepped toward the block. Seeing what was about to occur, Nadia instinctively turned her head to the side, eyes shut. Just within moments of doing so she heard the swinging of the axe, the lump of a head and a soft thump of a dead body followed by mixed reactions to the actions taking place.

"As fearlessly in dead, as he was in life.", the right hand man of Ulfric stated in that same eerie calmness he exuded in the carriage ride.

"Next: The troublesome elf!"

As if in objection, the roar resounded again. This time, Hadvar commented about it wondering what it was. However, Captain Sister Girl wasn't having any of that.

"I said: Next. Prisoner!", she demanded through clenched teeth.

With sorrowful eyes, Hadvar looked to Nadia once again with those eyes begging for forgiveness.

"To the block prisoner. Nice and easy."

Nadia felt like she reverted back to being a child, shaking her head frantically, trying for defiance one last time. No matter how feeble of an attempt it was.

Tired of dealing with Nadia's antics, she briskly stepped forward and grabbed ahold her arm once again. Nadia did the best pleading that she's ever done in her entire life. Everything else seemed irrelevant as has hands tries to grasp the older womans wrist. Performing the same actions as she did before, to no avail, her heels gave quarter to her being dragged.

"Come on, please, Sister Girl! Reconsider! You can't think to kill an innocent! Don't let it weigh on your conscience! Don't let it end like this!"

"You're no sister of mine! Now stop begging it makes you look pitiful, Stormcloak!", spat the female captain.

"I rather be pitiful and alive than to be wrongly persecuted and dead!" she finished, forcefully being shoved to her knees on the block of stone.

Heart ramming in her ears, eyes filling with tears, the world seemed to be filled with white noise to Nadia. She was staring death in the face, looking as the burly man readied his axe. All would have been the end, but the escape she was seeking this whole time came to save her life, flying over a mountain and landing on top of a tower:

A dragon.

* * *

 **I hope that you enjoyed this story, dear reader. Any reviews that can help me continue and make this story better is welcomed. Any hate or discouraging comments will be deleted.**


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